Posted on 03/29/2002 8:01:52 AM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
ot surprisingly, Mayor Bloomberg's proposed huge cigarette tax is not popular with smokers.And as we learned from many e-mailed responses to "Cig tax a healthy measure all around," the column that ran in this space on March 21, they are not taking it sitting down.
Smokers are willing to speak up for their right to ... well, poison themselves.
Most letters were forceful — and not one agreed with the column's take that the tax is good for New Yorkers' health. All the same, they were much appreciated. Here are some excerpts:
"Your ... column makes no sense. Cigarettes cause the deaths of 12,000 New Yorkers every year (your figure), yet you do not advocate making cigarettes illegal. Instead, you suggest that cig taxes be raised to 1) discourage smoking but, 2) through continued sale of cigarettes, raise $250 million to help close the city's budget gap. You and the mayor cannot have it both ways."— A.B.
"The one thing the column doesn't hit hard, perhaps because you are not a smoker ... is the addictive nature of tobacco. Most experts would say the habit is as hard to break as heroin or crack cocaine. I smoke two packs a day. I wish I did not, I don't know what insanity made me start. ..." —J.M.
"You're really taking lightly the effect the tax will have on small businesses. I've had a deli on Staten Island for 21 years. There is so much competition these days that it's more like a job than owning a business. The profit isn't there anymore." —B.G.
"You made some very valid points on health issues and the money the tax will raise, but don't you think you are on a bit of a high horse here? 'How can anyone oppose this?' I am a smoker and I oppose it. Strongly. ..."— D.R.
"What country do you propose we emulate? Certainly not America. You strongly imply that government raising taxes in order to change behavior is a voluntary 'decision' by those enjoying a legal product (97% of which are adults). Who nominated you dictator? Who nominated ... these nanny politicians and health nuts dictators. ...?" — A.S.
"Raising the price of cigarettes to $7 would be a crime and is in effect a real 'taxation without representation' issue. ... I'd like to add a few other [possible taxes] to the list:
Fine people who spit in the street. ... It makes me sick.
Fine people who litter the streets and the subways. People complain about pigeons and rats being filthy but no number of pigeons could [create] the filth you see on the streets ... and no rat was ever so obnoxious as the people who regard train tracks as their garbage disposal. ...
Taxing people who smoke is illegal and wrong. It violates their rights as Americans, and is as blatant a form of 'profiling' as you can get."— M.W.
"I don't hear anything about ... tax increases on Big Macs, Hershey Bars, Johnnie Walker or pizza. Do you?"— A. I.
"[You are wrong] about the alleged death toll from smoking. In actual fact, 90% of smokers will not die of any 'smoking-related disease,' which is why it's simply a risk factor and not a lethal injection. Obesity, we're now informed, claims more. So I presume you're in favor of also taxing ice cream, and bagels, and pasta to improve the lot of the poor. 'Let them eat carrots' has a nice catchy ring."— L.S.
No, thank you, not carrots. I can't stand them.
Now that Giuliani is gone I imagine NYC will soon revert to the cesspool it was before his tenure.
Liberals ruin everything
Cigarrettes=BAD. Cigarrette Taxes=Good. snicker.
My sentiments exactly.
I want to see the Rats realize their eventual error when cigarette taxes ruin the government goldmine.
I'll tell you something. If you kick a dog every morning, one day he's going to go for your throat.
Bloomberg is a bloodsucker.
Roland in CT is also looking to cash in on cigarette monies.
It makes me sick! The money gleaned from additional cigarette taxes will never go to treat lung cancer victims.
It will go to welfare mothers, pork barrel projects, and more government jobs.
Wake up suckers... they had their hand in your wallet... now they want your bank account.
The commie libs are always running around looking for ways to tax anything for any reason. They never have time to "realize" anything but the lust for more taxation. These taxnoids would tax the owner of the golden goose where the gold was cheaper than the food to feed the goose. After the owner finally ate the golden goose the taxnoids would be full of self satisfaction and pride and off to the next tax scheme.
I am surprised that hasn't occured yet, it better be soon.
In BC a carton is now $64.
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